The Doctor and the Gryffindor
by VaraReadsTooMuch
Summary: Strange energy readings lead the Doctor to Hogwarts, where he meets a remarkably bright young witch named Hermione Granger. AU. I do not own Doctor Who or Harry Potter. (If I did, they would both inhabit the same universe.) Credit to gen8 of deviantART, who made the chibi maker I used to design the cover.


The Doctor

The Doctor ran through the grounds of the ancient castle. He'd left the TARDIS under a willow tree, where he was pretty sure it wasn't going to be discovered by any unscrupulous characters. This place was spilling out the most bizarre energy patterns, practically unseen on planet Earth, and he had to know what was going on. Were people in danger?

The energy emanating from all around was sending the Doctor's pocket energy monitor wild. He couldn't pinpoint any particular source, other than the giant castle. Under the cover of the treeline, he stole towards the building… and tripped over a teenage girl.

Hermione

Hermione Granger was reading underneath a fir tree. Ron and Harry were being idiots, and she really did not feel like dealing with them right now. Or any time soon, for that matter. She had just finished "The Story of the Three Brothers" for the dozenth time, when a man in a brown suede overcoat and navy pinstriped suit tripped over her legs. She stood up, startled. "Who are you?" she demanded. Then, remembering her manners, she asked, "Are you alright, sir?" and extended her hand to help him up.

The Doctor

The Doctor looked up at the girl in surprise. She was dressed in what appeared to be a school uniform, with the addition of a black robe. He gratefully took her hand, and pulled himself upright. Regaining his composure, he said airily, "Me? I'm the Doctor."

She looked at him, a quizzical smile playing across her features. "Just, 'The Doctor'?"

"Yes. And who might you be?"

"Hermione," she replied, "Hermione Granger."

"Lovely name. Now, could you tell me, Hermione Granger, exactly what this place is?"

She frowned. "This, sir? This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Hermione

Hermione looked at the strange man.

"Witchcraft and wizardry? You're pulling my leg," the Doctor said incredulously.

"I'm not sir, it's the truth." She wondered how he could be in the grounds without knowing what Hogwarts was. It wasn't as if he could _apparate_ in, especially not unintentionally, so what had happened?

"So," he mused, more to himself than to her, "A school with higher-level technology, which being taught to its students as magic. _Fascinating._ Hermione," he asked suddenly, "what is that around your neck?"

Her hand jumped to her pendant. "It's a time turner."

"A vortex manipulator disguised as jewellery. _Fascinating_. May I?" he requested, holding out his hand.

Hesitantly, Hermione slipped the chain over her head. Could she trust him? She decided that there was not much he could do with a time turner, and dropped it into his palm. He took out an enigmatic device – a long, silvery rod, topped with a bright blue light – and pointed it at the pendant. There was a whirring noise, but nothing else happened. The Doctor looked up at her, stunned.

"I've never seen anything like this before in my life. Not a single time-manipulative component picked up by the sonic screwdriver, but residual time-travel energy infuses its every atom. These – these 'time turners,' Hermione," he enquired, wide-eyed, "are they _standard-issue_ at your school?"

The Doctor

The girl shook her head. "No. I think I'm the only student to have been given one in recent years. The deputy head mistress gave it to me." _A fellow solitary time traveller, what are the chances. _"Sir," she began, with the utmost politeness, "if you don't mind my asking, how did you come to be here? Hogwarts is supposed to be one of the most secure locations on Earth."

The time lord grinned. "Before I answer that question, I'm afraid you're going to have to stop calling me sir. It makes me feel terribly old. What do you say?"

"Oh, all right," she said in surprise. "Well then – _Doctor_ – will you answer my question?" she laughed, emphasising his name ironically. He liked her sense of humour.

His grin widened, and he nodded up towards the hill. "Come with me," he instructed, and started walking.

Hermione

Hermione was only too eager to follow him up the hill. She had no idea who this man was, but she already trusted him implicitly; she felt that she could follow him anywhere. Right now, he was leading her up towards the site of the Whomping Willow. It was certainly "whomping" today, whipping its branches around manically. In the midst of them, she thought she could see… a blue telephone box?

All of a sudden, the Doctor was hollering. "The TARDIS!" he bellowed, breaking into a run.

"The _what_?" Hermione practically shouted, in an effort to be heard over his own voice, and the racket that the Willow was making.

"The TARDIS – it's my ship – it's how I got here – what is going on?" he yelled, looking up helplessly.

"It's the Whomping Willow, it does this sort of thing all the time!" Hermione cried.

"How am I meant to get it down?"

"I don't – wait, I have an idea!" she exclaimed. "Stand back!" She herself moved several steps backwards, and took a few deep breaths. She had done this spell countless times, but rarely on something this big, and _never_ on a moving object. She removed her wand from her pocket, and raised it above her head… _one-two-three, swish and flick_.

The Doctor

The Doctor gaped up in horror at his TARDIS. What in the name of the Untempered Schism was he supposed to do now? He squinted over at Hermione Granger, who had produced… a wand?

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

For a second, nothing happened, and the Doctor knew not what to expect. Then the TARDIS began to rise into the air. _Voice-activated telekinesis focuser, very nice,_ he thought. Then again, maybe not. Maybe there was more to magic than he'd ever dared to think.

He looked at Hermione again, properly. The girl's lips were pursed in fierce concentration, her frizzy hair whipping around her face. _An intelligent girl, intuitive and focused. She wouldn't believe in something so fanciful as magic, unless she had good reason_. He glanced down at the book she was still clutching unconsciously with one hand. _A reader, a dreamer, an adventurer._ This girl was going to grow up to be brilliant, he was sure. But perhaps… perhaps he could help her grow up to be spectacular.

"Watch out!" cried Hermione, as her control over his blue box momentarily wavered. The Doctor threw himself sideways, just in time, as it landed heavily where he had stood moments before. As soon as it was out of the Willow's vicinity, the enchanted tree calmed down.

The Doctor got up and chuckled. "You won't be getting rid of me that easily, Miss Granger."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she laughed, clapping a hand over her mouth. She walked up to him. "So, this is your… ship?" He nodded. "My TARDIS. Stands for 'Time and Relative Dimensions in Space'." Unable to resist, he added, "Do you want to look inside it?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, please." The Doctor inwardly snickered mischievously.

Hermione

The Doctor produced a key from his pocket, and unlocked the door. Hesitantly, Hermione stepped inside – and gasped. She stepped outside again, then back in, and then walked right to the centre of the TARDIS. Then she turned around and yelled back to him in amazement, "It's dimensionally transcendental!"

Was it just her, or did the Doctor look slightly surprised by her choice of words? "Yes, yes, it is," he called back. He strode inside, so that he didn't need to shout, and leant on the doorframe. "Now," he commanded, one eyebrow raised, "ask me how it works.' He took out the silver rod – the 'sonic screwdriver,' he'd called it – and began examining it nonchalantly.

Hermione could barely contain her excitement, or her curiosity. "How does it work?" she almost pleaded.

"Well, Hermione Granger," said the Doctor. His eyes flicked up to meet hers, and a wide smile broke out on his face as he put away the screwdriver. "I could show you."

* * *

**Doctor Who and Harry Potter are my two favourite fandoms, so of course I was desperate to work them into a story together. I think it turned out quite well, but what do you think? I would love it if you left a review - I may add new "episodes," but only if people are going to read them, since I have another full-length fanfic on here which I am working on. **

**Thanks, and good luck with your own writing pursuits,**

**Vara.**


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